Overview
- Syrian President Ahmed al‑Sharaa said in a televised interview on Sunday that he is willing to negotiate with Hezbollah if talks serve Lebanon’s and Syria’s interests.
- Al‑Sharaa explicitly ruled out deploying Syrian forces to Lebanon and said Damascus seeks economic and political channels to stabilise the border rather than military action.
- He told reporters that Syria and the United States have held multiple discussions and that Damascus has presented a plan centred on restoring Lebanese state institutions and joint economic, political and social initiatives.
- The shift in tone comes after President Trump publicly suggested at the G7 and in interviews that Syria could be asked to confront Hezbollah, a proposal Damascus has pushed back on.
- The proposal of Syrian involvement remains sensitive because of Syria’s 1976–2005 presence in Lebanon and the risk that any military move would deepen civilian harm and regional tensions while a tentative pause in fighting and parallel diplomacy proceed.